But what profits a man, who has not abundance of money,
Being thus active and stirring, and bettering inside
and outside?
Only too much is the citizen cramped: the good,
though he know it,
Has he no means to acquire because too slender his
purse is,
While his needs are too great; and thus is he constantly
hampered.
Many things I had done; but then the cost of such
changes
Who does not fear, especially now in this season of
danger?
Long since my house was smiling upon me in modish
apparel!
Long since great panes of glass were gleaming in all
of the windows!
But who can do as the merchant does, who, with his
resources,
Knows the methods as well by which the best is arrived
at?
Look at that house over yonder,—­the new
one; behold with what splendor
’Gainst the background of green stand out the
white spirals of stucco!
Great are the panes in the windows; and how the glass
sparkles
and
glitters,
Casting quite into the shade the rest of the market-place
houses!
Yet just after the fire were our two houses the finest,
This of the Golden Lion, and mine of the sign of the
Angel.
So was my garden, too, throughout the whole neighborhood
famous:
Every traveller stopped and gazed through the red
palisadoes,
Caught by the beggars there carved in stone and the
dwarfs of
bright
colors.
Then whosoever had coffee served in the beautiful
grotto,—­
Standing there now all covered with dust and partly
in ruins,—­
Used to be mightily pleased with the glimmering light
of the mussels
Spread out in beautiful order; and even the eye of
the critic
Used by the sight of my corals and potter’s
ore to be dazzled.
So in my parlor, too, they would always admire the
painting,
Where in a garden are gaily dressed ladies and gentlemen
walking,
And with their taper fingers are plucking and holding
the flowers.
But who would look at it now! In sooth, so great
my vexation
Scarcely I venture abroad. All now must be other
and tasteful,
So they call it; and white are the laths and benches
of woodwork;
Everything simple and smooth; no carving longer or
gilding
Can be endured, and the woods from abroad are of all
the most costly.
Well, I, too, should be glad could I get for myself
something novel;
Glad to keep up with the times, and be changing my
furniture often;
Yet must we all be afraid of touching the veriest
trifle.
For who among us has means for paying the work-people’s
wages?
Lately I had an idea of giving the Archangel Michael,
Making the sign of my shop, another fresh coating
of gilding,
And to the terrible dragon about his feet that is
winding;
But I e’en let him stay browned as he is:
I dreaded the charges.”